Shloka 3

Devanagari script

दक्षिणार्थ समानीता राजभि: कांस्यदोहना: । आरण्या बहुसाहस्रा अपश्यंस्तत्र तत्र गा:

Transliteration

dakṣiṇārthaṃ samānītā rājabhiḥ kāṃsyadohanāḥ | āraṇyā bahusāhasrā apaśyaṃs tatra tatra gāḥ ||

Translation

Duryodhana said: “For the sake of tribute (dakṣiṇā), the kings have brought cows whose milk is drawn into bronze vessels. Yet I see, here and there, many thousands of cattle that dwell in the forests.”

Word by Word

दक्षिणार्थम्for the sacrificial fee (dakṣiṇā)

समानीताःbrought/collected

राजभिःby kings

कांस्यदोहनाḥhaving bronze (milking-)vessels; milked into bronze pails

आरण्याःwild/forest(-dwelling)

बहुसाहस्राःmany thousands (in number)

अपश्यन्they saw

तत्रthere

तत्रhere and there

गाःcows

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Duryodhana

kings (rājānaḥ)

cows/cattle (gāvaḥ)

bronze vessels (kāṃsya)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how public displays of wealth and tribute can inflame jealousy and rivalry; ethical steadiness is tested when others prosper, and envy can distort perception into grievance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana remarks on the vast cattle wealth being gathered as tribute—cows brought by subordinate kings and countless forest cattle seen everywhere—underscoring the scale of prosperity that provokes his resentment.